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(No Model.) V Y W. H. BENFORD. FASTENING DEVICE FORIS-HOIES. No. 583,564. Patented June 1, 1897.

. fastening devices for shoes,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM- ll. BENFORD, OF LAMAR, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'lO \VILLIAM L. GRIFFIN, OF SAME PLACE. i

FASTENING DEVICE FOR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,564, dated June 1, 1897.

Application filed March 21, 1896.

To (all whom, (It may concern.- Be it known that I, WILLIAM II. BENFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lamar, in the county of Barton and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Fastening Device for Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in for shoes. i

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction offastening devices and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one capable of ready application to shoes having eyelets and of elastically connecting the sides of a lace-shoe to render the same as yielding as an ordinary elastic gaiter.

A further object of the invention is to enable a shoe to be fastened and unfastened with greater rapidity and ease than the ordinary lace or buttoned shoe.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the. claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a shoe provided with fastening devices constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view. 1 Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the fastening devices. Fig. 4is a detail perspective view of the detachable hook.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates a fastening device disposed transversely of a lace-shoe Bye-rid adapted to. connect yieldingly the sides of the lace-shoe 2, and any desired number of fastening 'devices may be provided, according to the number of eyelets 2 in the sides of the shoe.

Each fastening device comprises a permanently-secured hook 3, a detachable hook 4, and a contin uons. elastic band connecting the hooks and adapted to extend across the space between the sides of the shoe. Each hook ispreferably constriictedof a single piece of wire or similar material donbled to form a loopto receive the elastic band and parallel sides, which arei separated throughout their Serial No. 584,277. (No model shoe, hascurved 7, arranged at right angles to the inner arm of the L shaped engaging portion. The L- shaped eyelet-engaging portion 6 is adaptedto be readily introduced into an eyelet to engage the inner face of the upper of the shoe,

the outer arm of the L-shaped portion lying g flat against the inner face of the upper and the inner arm being arranged in the eyelet, and the shank 7 forms reception of the continuous elastic band. The loop shaped shank lies fiat against the outer face of the upper, and the tension of the elas- -tic band holds the outer arm of the L-shaped engaging portion tightly againstjhe inner face of -the upper, so that the detachable hook ofiers no projections which might inconvenience the wearer of the shoe.- r

The particular shape of the detaehabe hook enables it to be readily and easily interlocked withan eyelet and removed therefrom, and a shoe providegl with the fastening devices may be fasten d rapidity and ease than an buttoned shoe. V

Theelastic band or strip, which is preferably continuous, may be constructed of rubbe'r or. any other suitable material, such as elastic webbing or the like.

It will be seen that the shoe fast'ener is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construcordinary lace or tion, that it is capable of being readily ap-.

plied to the ordinary lace-shoe, and that it is adapted to connect the sides yieldingly and to aficrd the same comfort to the wearer as an ordinary elastic gaiter. It will also be a loop oreye for the and unfastened with greater apparent that the fastening device will en- 'able a shoe to be fastened and unfastened with greater rapidity and ease than the ordinary lace or buttoned shoe. Changes in the form, proportion, and minor too details of eonstruction nay be resort-ed to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What Iclaim is'- 1. A fastening device for shoes comprising a transversely-disposed endless elastic band, a pair of hooks carried by the endless band, designed to be passed through the ordinary ieyelets of a lace-shoe to engage the latter,

and each constructed of a single piece of material and consisting of a loop receiving the endless band, and parallel sides separated throughout their entire length and forming an entrance opening or passage to permit the endless band to be introduced into the loop Without splitting the said band, substantially as described.

2. A fastening device for shoes com prising a transversely-disposed endless elastic band designed .to connect yieldingly the sides of a lace-shoe, and a pair ofhooks, carried by the band and adapted to pass through the ordinary eyelets of said shoe, each hook being constructcd of a single piece of wire doubled to form a loop to receive the endless band and extended to form parallel sides; separated throughout their entire length to provide an en trance opening or passage to permit the endless band to be intrddueed into theloop without cutting or splitting the same, the sidesiof one of the hooks being curved to engage the inner face of the shoe after being passed through one ofthe ordinary eyelets thereof, and the sides of the other hook consisting of a substantially Lshaped portion adapted to pass through an ordinary eyelet of the opposite side of the shoe and detachably engage the latter and bear flat against the inner face thereof, and a shank arranged substantially at right angles to the inner arm of the L- shapcd portion and adapted to bear fiat against the outer face of the! shoe, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as -1Tl y own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM II. BENFORD.

Witnesses:

ROY E. MILLER, JOHN W. HERRON. 

